Ohio hospital tests device to find diabetes

Published: January 7, 2013 6:12AM

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A clinical trial at a northeast Ohio hospital is using a new device to identify diabetes in children based on changes in their skin.

Children as young as 7 can have brownish-gray patches on their necks or elbows that are early predictors of the disease. Now a clinical trial at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland is using a new device to get ahead of the visual clues the skin can offer.

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer (http://bit.ly/133exvi ) reports that it's a noninvasive light device that identifies biochemical markers of diabetes in the skin of children or teens.

Diabetes occurs when the body doesn't properly convert glucose to energy, which leaves excess glucose in the body. Byproducts of incomplete glucose (sugar) metabolism register on the scan.